Pubdate: Thu, 11 Aug 2005
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Dave Burkhart
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
CANADIANS AREN'T SAFE ON THEIR OWN SOIL
There are days when I wonder whether Canada is a sovereign nation, and I'm
not referring to the relatively minor saga of Hans Island.
A Canadian citizen is under threat of extradition to a foreign country, not
because he was caught breaking foreign laws on foreign soil, but because an
imperialist power has decreed he was breaking its discriminatory laws from
afar.
What right do any of us enjoy here in Canada if the United States can
demand we hand over our citizens and our courts aquiesce? That we allowed
Marc Emery to conduct his business here for years without going after him
speaks volumes about the Canadian psyche, about our more progressive
approach to dealing with marijuana. It recognizes the reality of the failed
American war on drugs. It recognizes the injustice, the inequity, of
imprisoning people for exercising the innate human right of freedom of choice.
As Canadians, we have the right to make our own laws. We have the right to
enforce, or not enforce our laws in accordance with the wishes of the
majority. We have the right to make our legal system progressive, to evolve
as a society. We should be entitled to protection from our government
within the borders of our nation.
If we are not, it's not really our government, or our country, is it?
Dave Burkhart
St. Albert
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MAP posted-by: Beth